Battlemats

DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Fri May 04, 2007 11:39 pm

Thanks. And I'll be sure to let him know.

Tadhg · Post by **Tadhg** » Fri May 04, 2007 11:51 pm

Treebore wrote:
*snip*

I like the tiles as well.

Another fan here, of dungeon tiles. I was surprised about some of them and in particular the latest from those coastal gizzards, but seriously they are good quality and excellent stock.

I've collected a fair share from some of the basic games and miniatures also.

It's very cool to put a few together and voila, ideas start popping up for a quick encounter or even a mini adventure.

I think they can be a nice enhancement to the game sometimes, after say going through some areas/dungeons where you either have to draw maps (or have the players do) of a mundane dungeon and you want to try something visual and different.

_________________
Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

Rigon · Post by **Rigon** » Sat May 05, 2007 3:15 am

I have a couple of rather large dry erase boards that I drew a 1" grid on with a Sharpie marker. They work just fine, except they are such a hassle to haul around. I've been thinking of using something thinner that I can roll up. So, I'll be stealing JG's ideaof the poster board.

R-
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Rigon o' the Lakelands, Baron of The Castles & Crusades Society
The Book of the Mind

Omote · Post by **Omote** » Sat May 05, 2007 1:12 pm

Treebore wrote:
I think the gamer-printshop.com is the name of his website. Let him know Treebore is getting business going his way, if you would. No reward, just I like people to know how much word of mouth does for their business.

I checked out his website and this is a good service. The ability to print out large maps like this is quite nice. There's no question, that the guy is making good money off of gamers who need his service (and there's no problem with that), but his laminating services are REALLY 'spensive. However I guess it's nice to have the package deal where he prints out the maps and does the laminating all at the same time. Plus if there is laminating accident or boo-boo, it's on him.

Now I wish I had some huge personal maps to have him print out and do for me.
..........................................Omote

FPQ
_________________
> Omote's Advanced C&C stuff <
Duke Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Prince of the Castles & Crusades Society

DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Sat May 05, 2007 1:20 pm

Omote wrote:
Now I wish I had some huge personal maps to have him print out and do for me.

I wonder if the trolls would give permission to utilize their PDF stuff this way. I'd like to do the Yggsburgh player maps.

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Sat May 05, 2007 6:19 pm

DangerDwarf wrote:
I wonder if the trolls would give permission to utilize their PDF stuff this way. I'd like to do the Yggsburgh player maps.

Well, if you can ever get an e-mail to them that they actually read...

DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Sat May 05, 2007 6:32 pm

Treebore wrote:
Well, if you can ever get an e-mail to them that they actually read...

*chuckles* Yeah. My thoughts exactly.

angelius · Post by **angelius** » Sat May 05, 2007 7:01 pm

Treebore wrote:
Here is his e-mail: support@gamer-printshop.com

I think the gamer-printshop.com is the name of his website. Let him know Treebore is getting business going his way, if you would. No reward, just I like people to know how much word of mouth does for their business.

I have to say very impressive.
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Dagger · Post by **Dagger** » Sun May 06, 2007 4:59 pm

Rhuvein wrote:
I took one of the foldup mats that came with one of those miniature starter boxes and brought it a print shop where they laminated it for $5.00. Works great and I've been thinking of doing another one.

Staples will do this for the same price and maybe some of the other "office stuff" chain stores.

I just took my battle grid from the D&D miniatures starter set and had it laminated. It rocks! Highly recommended.

gamerprinter · Post by **gamerprinter** » Mon May 07, 2007 3:07 pm

I am looking for a more cost effective way to laminate. My website prices are onesy-twosy priced - but I offer volume discounts on everything I do.

I currently use a SEAL hot roll laminator with the least expensive film I can find, that still constitutes heavy duty at 5 mil lamination.

2 mil is certainly much less expensive, but thin lamination is junk, I will never provide a junk product. You can certainly find many companies that offer you this thin junk grade of lamination for considerably less than I.

I'm looking a liquid laminator, where maps are passed through a hot liquid plastic that coats the map passing through and instant drying as it leaves the unit. Problem here is that this is still comparable to thin lamination. In other words, just try using a grease pencil and erase twenty times and you'll start to notice damage on the laminated area.

That's why I use thick lamination. Believe me, if I could find a cheaper way to laminate, I'd do it!

Consider also large format B/W prints - I know its not as pretty as a color map, but at $ .50 per square foot and less - this is a very cost effective way to produce big battlemaps.

Download my free Map Printing Instructions PDF on the home page, as well as signing up to my free monthly newsletter - Gamer Resource.

Michael

PPS: Hey Troll Lords - I have permission to print Necromancer Games PDF battlemaps, 12 to Midnight Games, Paizo maps. Could I have open permission to print maps for your clients? Please post here for a response.

Omote · Post by **Omote** » Mon May 07, 2007 3:28 pm

gamerprinter wrote:
I currently use a SEAL hot roll laminator with the least expensive film I can find, that still constitutes heavy duty at 5 mil lamination.

2 mil is certainly much less expensive, but thin lamination is junk, I will never provide a junk product. You can certainly find many companies that offer you this thin junk grade of lamination for considerably less than I.

YES, please never go down to 2mil lamination, it is the worst, especially if the laminator is too hot or an older model that needs to warm up. Bubbles stink!!! What a waste.

The service is very cool, I just wish I had a way to utilize it. Best.

........................................Omote

FPQ
_________________
> Omote's Advanced C&C stuff <
Duke Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Prince of the Castles & Crusades Society

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Mon May 07, 2007 5:23 pm

Omote wrote:
YES, please never go down to 2mil lamination, it is the worst, especially if the laminator is too hot or an older model that needs to warm up. Bubbles stink!!! What a waste.

The service is very cool, I just wish I had a way to utilize it. Best.

........................................Omote

FPQ

Yep, having recently bought a bunch of laminating material to do things by hand, his prices are actually very reasonable. Don't forget he also has to look at the pile of wasted lamination and pay for it. We won't.

I hope you can swing that "liquid plastic" lamination machine. That will ROCK!! It will actually impregnate porous paper too. That will be very nice.

Plus thanks for dropping by. I hope to be able to place my first large order by July. The first of what will eventually be several. I'll probably do each order in the neighborhood of $150 to $200.00 at a time.

Now back to talking about this super cool service.

Plus, its pretty cool that you can just send him a file instead of having to

mail him physical copies. Nor do you need to drive to Kinko's and spend your time doing this.

So depending on how you want to do your "cost analysis" his prices only get to looking better to me. Especially since I am hand doing the physical copies I own. Lots of time, lots of frustration with bubbles and "folds", which make having him do it with his machines so much better.

OOhh! I just remembered I have the PDF of the WL boxed set! I can have him do those too!

The only thing I am finding painful is I want so much done that the overall dollar costs hurts. But since I know how expensive the heavy stock lamination material I bought are (I forget how many mils, but its enough to feel thicker than several sheets of paper, maybe 5 mil?), overall his prices are very good, and will actually save me money, a fair number of hours, and I'll have no bubbles or creases.

Plus I am going to do it in "bites" I can afford, when I can afford them.

Very cool service, and very fair pricing. Granted, there are probably cheaper ways to do this, but not for the quality he is offering, etc...

Rigon · Post by **Rigon** » Sat May 12, 2007 1:32 am

Julian Grimm wrote:
I made one rather chaep that works well. Go to Wal-Mart or similar and get something called a "Ghost Line Poster" It's posterboard with a 1/4" grid on it. All you have to do is take a magic marker and trace around 4 of the squars for a 1" square. I added clear contact paper to mine which made it usable with dry erase markers.

I have the ghostline posterboard. What should I outline the "squares" with? Black marker, no 2 pencil, water colors, what? Next, question: how heavy of a "laminate" did you use? .2 mil, .5 mil? I'm going to take mine to Staples and have them laminate it for me and I want to know how heavy a laminate I should use for good durability.

R-
_________________
Rigon o' the Lakelands, Baron of The Castles & Crusades Society
The Book of the Mind

Julian Grimm · Post by **Julian Grimm** » Sat May 12, 2007 1:34 am

I used a sharpie and my laminate was nothing more than clear contact paper.
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Rigon · Post by **Rigon** » Sat May 12, 2007 1:39 am

Julian Grimm wrote:
I used a sharpie and my laminate was nothing more than clear contact paper.

Thanks JG. I have a fine point blue sharpie around here some where. When I take it to get it laminated, I'll have the store use the heaviest laminate the have.

R-
_________________
Rigon o' the Lakelands, Baron of The Castles & Crusades Society
The Book of the Mind

Tadhg · Post by **Tadhg** » Sun May 13, 2007 2:23 pm

I've noticed this "flip map" available at Paizo. Looks pretty good, but one reviewer complained about the fold lines. Game Mastery has others, haven't had a chance to look at them. http://paizo.com/store/byCompany/s/stee ... 48btpy7wv8
http://paizo.com/image/product/catalog/ ... 4_500.jpeg
_________________
Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Sun May 13, 2007 6:11 pm

I have bought the intire line of Game Mastery map tiles. Yes, because I like them. Very versatile. Meaning many different configurations for each set, not just one.

Tadhg · Post by **Tadhg** » Mon May 14, 2007 8:02 pm

Treebore wrote:
I have bought the intire line of Game Mastery map tiles. Yes, because I like them. Very versatile. Meaning many different configurations for each set, not just one.

Great endorsement, Treebore.

So you've had no trouble with eraser ink getting stuck in the creases as one of the reviewers mentioned? That would probably be my only hesitation as far as buying one of these.

_________________
Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Mon May 14, 2007 8:35 pm

Rhuvein wrote:
Great endorsement, Treebore.

So you've had no trouble with eraser ink getting stuck in the creases as one of the reviewers mentioned? That would probably be my only hesitation as far as buying one of these.

Steel Squire is a different product. I am just talking about the map tiles line under their GameMastery logo.

I have gone the tiles route because of the awesome resources available on line as well as what Paizo and WOTC have put out for tiles.

Tadhg · Post by **Tadhg** » Mon May 14, 2007 8:41 pm

Treebore wrote:
Steel Squire is a different product. I am just talking about the map tiles line under their GameMastery logo.

I have gone the tiles route because of the awesome resources available on line as well as what Paizo and WOTC have put out for tiles.

Hmm, I thought Steel Squire makes these maps under the Game Mastery Logo. Not that it matters, cause yeah, I'm liking the GM tavern map in the link.

But back to your maps then, no problems with ink in the folds??
_________________
Count Rhuveinus - Lejendary Keeper of Castle Franqueforte

"Enjoy a 'world' where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!" ~ Gary Gygax

"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes:" - Macbeth

concobar · Post by **concobar** » Mon May 14, 2007 11:58 pm

Steel Sqwire flipmats are great. I love the new Inn.

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Tue May 15, 2007 3:24 am

Rhuvein wrote:
Hmm, I thought Steel Squire makes these maps under the Game Mastery Logo. Not that it matters, cause yeah, I'm liking the GM tavern map in the link.

But back to your maps then, no problems with ink in the folds??

They are laminated card stock. I have no idea where a fold would be on them. None of the ones I have bought (and actually opened) hav had a fold.

gamerprinter · Post by **gamerprinter** » Fri May 18, 2007 3:52 am

Endless Terrain Battlemaps:

4 each 11 x 17 double-sided color printed, laminated in 5 mil film.

Each side comes with a unique terrain design, for total of 8 different

maps.

"Edge-Matching" feature on every map edge, you can layout the 4 maps

any way you want and the graphics will match from map edge to map

edge. You won't have any half trees in the middle of your map. You can

rotate any map 180 degrees or flip it upsidedown and the edges still match.

All Endless Terrain Battlemap sets will come in a single theme - the first one will be "Heavy Woodlands", soon to be followed by "Light Woodlands", "Swamp" and more to come. These first three sets will have the same "Edge Matching" so you can interchange between these sets and have even more battlemap combinations.

Just a single set offers thousands of map layout combinations!

I'll be selling them for $19.95 per set

Omote · Post by **Omote** » Fri May 18, 2007 2:10 pm

So where can we find these Endless Terrain Battlemaps? Linky?

.............................................Omote

FPQ
_________________
> Omote's Advanced C&C stuff <
Duke Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Prince of the Castles & Crusades Society

gamerprinter · Post by **gamerprinter** » Fri May 18, 2007 2:34 pm

No later that on Monday, May 21, 2007 - the page will be uploaded onto my website, with link on home page
(I don't think I have enough posts here to post a URL)

(I might post a couple more things so I can qualify...)

No doubt the page will be called /endless-terrain.html, though

Hope to have it up by tomorrow though!

I've been working on the idea for a couple of weeks now, and have just completed the first set of Endless Terrain Battlemap designs - this week!

Expect to see new Endless Terrain theme set every 2 weeks.

Omote · Post by **Omote** » Fri May 18, 2007 2:57 pm

Cool. Thx for the update GP!

...................................................Omote

FPQ
_________________
> Omote's Advanced C&C stuff <
Duke Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Prince of the Castles & Crusades Society

gamerprinter · Post by **gamerprinter** » Sat May 19, 2007 3:06 am

I just uploaded the Endless Terrain Battlemap page, and updated my home page to reflect this and some new directions I'm going.

Although the page is ready to start taking orders. It won't be until Wednesday that I can start shipping them out. Got a big paper order coming in, hasn't been delivered yet.

gamerprinter · Post by **gamerprinter** » Sat May 19, 2007 3:20 am

Next week, I'm introducing a Free downloadable PDF Ebook featuring a better RPG Map Making program.

I'm not going to announce the software until the Ebook is ready, however, consider this. Sorry - find out next week!

1. Its not marketed as "Map Making" software - I don't think the developers even realize their product's potential as a map maker.

2. It can create maps that resemble Campaign Cartographer, or Dundjinni, only better, faster, easier and more extra map effect features than either.

3. It has virtually no learning curve - your mom could learn to use it in an afternoon.

4. You can export to PDF format from within the application at 300 dpi and many other formats.

5. It doesn't have such a stiff EULA license preventing your from using it for commercial RPG projects.

It only costs twice as much as Dundjinni or CC3, but its 100 times either program.

gamerprinter · Post by **gamerprinter** » Sat May 19, 2007 4:00 am

website home page:
http://www.gamer-printshop.com

Endless Terrains page: http://www.gamer-printshop.com/endless-terrains.html

Finally as a free bonus to get more people to signup to my free newsletter, here is a link to a free battlemap download. Its not an Endless Terrain, but it was created in the same software I used to create them, as well as the software mentioned in the last post.

Download is a "Forest Stream Crossing" printed as 8 x 10 on 4 map layout. The maps join together only one way. Shown on first page. Warning though its a 2.2 MB PDF file.
http://www.gamer-printshop.com/resource ... ossing.pdf

You have my full permission to print this for your use, or distribute the link for others to download!

Sorry to be such a links hog

SavageRobby · Post by **SavageRobby** » Sat May 19, 2007 1:18 pm

Just FYI, the Endless Terrains link doesn't work - no 's' at the end of terrain. This should work:
http://www.gamer-printshop.com/endless-terrain.html

Troll Lord Games

Battlemats

Gamer-Printshop here!

Re: Gamer-Printshop here!

Re: Gamer-Printshop here!

Re: Battlemats

Got a new product coming out next week!

re: so where can we find these Endless Terrain Battlemaps?

Endless Terrain page is up...

A Better RPG Map Making program

Links: